holmes



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. A. O. HOLMES. Channeling Boot and ShoeSoles.

No. 242,324. Patented May 31,1881.

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{1% Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. A. 0. HOLMES. Channeling Boot and Shoe Soles.

Q. 242,324.. Patented ma 31, i881,

v [nveiztors (No Model.) 4Sheets-Sheet 3.

M. A. 0. HOLMES. Channeling Boot and Shoe Soles. No. 242,324.

Patented May 31,1881.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. M. A. 0. HOLMES.

Channeling Boot and Shoe Soles.

N0. 242,324. Patented May 31,1881.

N. FETEns. Mme-mus Walhinghm, ac.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFIC CHANNELING BOO T AND SHOE SOLES..

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Application filed October 19, 1880.

T 0 all whom it may concern: I Be it known that I, MARY A. O. HoLMEs, of Newport,in the couutyof Newportand State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Channeling, Ohamfering, and Piercing Soles ofBoots and Shoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to machines for chan nel in g, chamferin g, and piercing the soles of boots and shoes, of that class for improvements in which Letters Patcntof theUnited States were granted me in the years 1879 and 1880, numbered respectively 222,628 and 227,167. It relates, also, to an improved form of channeling and chamfering for soles of boots and shoes, which form my improved machine is adapted to make.

The first part of myinvention consists ot'improved connecting devices between'the driving mechanism and the piercing-awl.

The second part relates to mechanism whereby the chamfering-knife is made vertically adjustable at the will of the operator while the machine is in motion.

The third part consists in mechanism whereby the cham fering-knife may be adjusted verticallybythe same lever ortreadle which moves the gaging mechanism, so that the chamfered edge may he made wider and thicker without interrupting the operation of the machine.

The fourth part of my invention consists of an improved channel for soles of boots and shoes, and to the improved in eehanism for making the said channel.

The invention also consists of certain details of construction, hereinafter fully set forth and particularly claimed.

I11 the drawings hereto attached, Figure 1 represents a front, and Fig. 2 a rear, elevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation. Fig. 4 represents the channeling-knife; Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the chamfering-knife; Fig. 8, the sole; Fig.0,the relation of the knives, presser-foot, and supporting-wheel. Figs. and 11 show the operation of the broad surface of wheel and the form of cut in the sole.

Those parts of the machine not included in the improvements hereinbefore specified are substantially the same as in my Patent No. 227,767, and do not require here particular description.

Patent No. 242,324, dated May 31, 1881.

(No model.)

The curved awl or piercing-instrument is operatedfrom a lever, 47, pivoted upon the lower part of the frame, and oscillated by means of a roller-stud fixed on said lever and working in a grooved cam-hub, 48, as described more fully in my Patent No. 222,628. In this improvement, however, a plain bar is connected to an arm on the rock-shaft of the vibrating-needle, and revolves over a pin in the topof the lever directly operated by the cam-hub. The arm upon the rock-sh aft is shown at 44 and the connecting-bar at 45. The end of this bar is represented as formed with ahook, which fits over a pin, 46, in the upper end of the lever 47. \Vhen the hook of the bar 45 is in engagement with the pin in lever 47 the oscillations of this lever rock the shaft by positive movement and cause the curved needle 42 to vibrate in its proper relation to the other parts.

The arm 45 is drawn down and held in connection with the pin upon lever 47 by means of a spring, 61. It is lifted out of connection by means ot'a lever, 49, pivoted on the frame of the machine, and provided with a handle at its upper end. A pin, 62, in this lever projects under bar 45, and by movement of the lever 49 to the left this pin is caused to strike the inclined lower edge of the connecting-bar and lift it from the pin, and thus disconnect the piercing-awl. This disconnection maybe accomplished without regard to the position of the awl, since the effect of the left-hand movement of the pin 62 against the inclined edge of the bar is to throw said bar to the left, and thus throw up the awl if it happen to'be down. In this construction the connecting-bar, when out of gear, is absolutely wholly removed from contact with the pin and impelling mechanism, whereas with the slot and latch in the mechanism shown in my said patents there was liability that the awl would be moved afterthe latch was raised by mere friction of the pin with slot.

The second part of my invention relates to the chamfering and beveling of the sole. The general relation of the channeling and chamfering knives is the same in my improved machine as in my former patents. The cutting by both is simultaneous, and the sole is completed when it emerges from the machine, but I have devised means for making the beveled edge variable in thickness. This is desirable in certain classes of soles designed for pumps and like purposes, where an increased thickness is required about the heel. To accomplish this purpose I cut away the web of the frame where the chamfering-knife was affixed in my said patents, and supply a lever, 66, which is pivoted in the frame at 67. To this the knife 68 is fixed adjustable in proper position, and slight movement of the lever 66 on its pivot will raise or lower the chamferingknife without changing the other parts. Raising the knife 68 will manifestly leave the edge of the sole thicker. As this increased thickness is desirable about the heel only, the lever 66 may be connected to the same treadle which operates the mechanism adapted to move the supporting-wheel laterally and vary the width of the beveled edge. This I may accomplish in any convenient way. It is represented in the drawings as accomplished by fixing the bell-crank lever 33 (which moves the wheel laterally) to a shaft, 69, adapted to turn in its bearings in the frame. On the other end of the shaft-4. 0., at the front of the m achine-an arm, 70, is fixed to this shaft and extends horizontally. It is connected to the lever 66 by a hook with spring and lever, in the same manner as that shown in connection with the piercing-aw]. This allows the connection to be made or broken between the treadle which moves the wheel and the lever which carries the chamfering-knite, and when this connection is made the same movement shifts the wheel laterally to widen the bevel, and raises the knife to make said bevel thicker.

A set-screw, 71, holds the lever and chamtering-knife in place when it is not to move.

A suitable stud may be set in any convenient place to limit the movement of the knifelever, holding itin proper position for ordinary cutting when it is not held by the set-screw. Instead of this stud I may use another setscrew for the purpose of adjusting the limits of movement, and for holding the chamferingknife in any position.

The form of the knife is also improved. The ordinary bevel or chamfer, as heretofore made on the edges of inner soles, has been either a straight slope or has been cut at an angle. Neither of these is well adapted for certain classes of work. The plain bevel has been cspccially objectionable for soles of pumps and the like, where the shoe is turned, and the angular. bevel is better only when very thin leather and lining are used, and even then not 'Jlly unobjectionable. Such bevels do not permit the thread to draw the upper snugly in, and leave the threads exposed to view. To remedy this 1 form the knife 10 with a regular curve, with the concave side uppermost, so that it cuts a hollow chamfer or concave groove, in which the bevel of the upper-leather may lie snugly, the concavity corresponding approximately to the curve of the leather when turned, and as a greater amount of surface of upper and sole is in contact, the threads are not exposed to view. The form of this curve may be varied, manifestly, without departing from the spirit of my invention, and a nick, as in Fig. 7, may be made to form a head, if desired, on the edge of the sole.

The third part of my invention relates to the channeling ot' the soles. lleretofore various forms of cuts and grooves have been made in the sole for the purpose of providing space for the bight of the thread to lie in, and to form the wall in which the studs are held. Besides the common way of cutting out an angular strip, it has been proposed to cut out a round cavity at the bottom of an inclined slit. This serves the purpose of providing a recess for the bightof the thread, an d prevents ridging of the surface, which is objectionable in turned wor but the strip cut out weakens the sole very materially.

To avoid all the various objections heretofore found, I have made at the bottom of the inclined cut (I a slight vertical cut, 0, sufficient in length to give space for the thread, but not suflicient to entirely sever the leather. It will be understood that the inclined cut is outward and downward, and the flap is left slightly turned up, forming at the line where the vertical cut joins the inclined a space for the bight of the thread. At the same time neither the sole nor the wall is weakened. In order to form by machinery this angular cut, I have provided an improved cutting mechanism. The form of the knife is shown in Fig. 4. It consists of an inclined blade, 5, terminating in a small vertical spur, 6. In general formthat is to say, in having one part of the blade at an angle to the otherthis knifeis the same as those used heretofore to cutout an angular piece; but in those knives the vertical part of the blade was necessarily made long enough to cut quite through to the surface of the sole, the end of said vertical part rising manifestly above the lower surface of the presser-foot. To accomplish my purpose I make the spur or vertical part of the blade terminate in a plane lower than the lower surface of the presser-foot 8, so that under no circumstances can the spur cut through to the surface of the sole and remove the part thus undercut.

The relation of the parts is clearly shown in Fig. 9, in which the knife, presscr-foot, and part of the supporting-wheel are shown enlarged and in their proper relation to each other.

The fourth part of my invention relates to the supporting-wheel 21. Heretofore such wheels have been used of cast-iron, with the periphery turned smooth to form a bearing-surface for the sole. This sole is, when placed in the wheel forchannelin g and chamferin g, clamped, and retains some of the acids of the liquor in which it was tanned. It is therefore more or less stained in passing under pressure over the surface of the iron wheel. This staining is ob jectionable when the soles are intended for pumps and like turned shoes. To rcmed y this I have added to the wheel a surfacing of non corrosive material. For this purpose I prefer a non-corrosive metal; but other materials may be used with good results. Another defacement of the surface of soles intended to be turned and exposed to view has arisen from the relative narrowness of bearing-surface of this wheel. As heretofore made, such wheels supported only the edge of the sole, and the workman held the sole upon the wheel, grasping it with the thumb uppermost. This grasping it upon a narrow wheel, the part not restin g upon the wheel is necessarily bent downward, and the surface thus marked by the edge of the wheel. Soles thus marked, when used in shoes in which the surface was exposed, have been found to be commercially objectionable. To remedy this I have enlarged the surface of the wheel so as to support a larger part of the sole, and, further, to compel the workman to place his fingers uppermost on the sole as he holds it on the wheel. This entirely prevents any tendency to bend down the edge of the leather and leave the mark described above.

The wheel 21 is represented in Fig. 2 with the relative width of the rim and sole and the 4 position of the fingers clearly shown.

The fifth part of my invention relates to an adjustable feed whereby the spacin g of the holes may be raised. This mechanism is shown in Fig.3.

The four-motion feed device 24 receives its upward and backward motions from the springs 26 and 96. Its downward and forward move ments are effected, as in my said former patent, 227,167, by means of the cam 28; but I limit the backward motion and consequently the throw of the device, by a set-screw, 79, which may be advanced or retracted, and which bears against the feed device when said device is thrown back by the spring. A set-screw, 80, in the bottom flange of the feed device lifts a plate, 18, and thus determines the downward limit of movement of the device.

The sixth part of myinvention consists of a registering device, 75, connected to the countershaft which carries the feed-cam. Aworm on this shaft gears into the first wheel of the register and communicates a positive motion thereto, so that the forward motion of the machine must register invariably and accurately.

' Ordinary trains of gears communicate motion chamfer might be brought nearer to or removed farther from the edge of the'sole during the operation of cutting.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a channeling and piercing machine, the combination, with an arm of the rockshaft which carries the piercing-awl, and the moving lever, of a pivoted connected bar, adapted to be connected positively to said moving lever or removed therefrom, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the rocking shaft 60, carrying the piercing-aw], and arm 44 with the bar 45, lever 47, spring 61, and detaching-lever 49, substantially as described.

3. In a sole-channeling machine, a channeling-knife having an inclined blade, 5, approximately straight, and vertical offset 6, in combination with the presser-foot, the chamferingknife, and the sole-support, the upper point of said offset being underneath and a short distance below the lower surface of the presserfoot, whereby an inclined and vertical cut are made without removing a strip, substantially as described.

4. In a sole channeling and piercing machine, the feed device 24, in combination with the springs 26 and 96, with theimpelling-cam and the adjustable set-screw 79, whereby the feed is made variable, substantially as described.

' 5. In a sole channeling and eham feringmachine, the combination of a movable chamfering-knife with the impelling mechanism, substantially as described,whereby the said knife is made vertically adjustable in height, in relation to the other parts, at the will of the operator, while the machine is in motion, substantial] y as described.

6. The combination of the mechanism for moving .the vertically-adjustable ehamferingknife with the mechanism for moving the supporting-wheel laterally, whereby the chamfer is made wider and thicker at the same time and by the same lever, substantially as described.

7. In a sole for boots and shoes, a channel consisting of an inclined cut toward the soleedge and a straight vertical cut extending upward from the lower end of the inclined out, leaving a flap, as described, and a ridge between the channel and chamfer edge, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARY A. (J. HOLMES.

Witnesses:

O. A. NEALE, F. L. MIDDLETON/ 

